Resource Use Sciences:
Provides information on Economics, Forest Product, Urban
Forestry and Cultural Heritage, Outdoor Recreation, and Social
Sciences Research. more
Environmental Sciences:
The diversity and viability of fish and wildlife populations
and communities, the purity or quality of water and air, and
the productivity and quality of soils, are all key indicators
of the health and sustainability of forest, rangeland and aquatic
ecosystems. These attributes also serve as important indicators
of the effects of management and other human activities on ecosystems
and their component processes and species. Forest Service Research
and Development (FS R&D), in this area enhances understanding
of organisms, populations, ecosystems, and ecological processes,
and provides results and knowledge that are essential to the
ability to manage forests and rangelands to sustain air, water
and soil quality and biological diversity. Information provided
by this research is crucial to the agency's capabilities to
comply with requirements of key environmental statutes, including
the National Forest Management Act, Endangered Species Act,
Clean Water Act, and Clean Air Act. Scientists conducting research
in this area work closely with resource managers to synthesize
research results, provide knowledge and technology in support
of management, and develop the information required both to
enhance forest and range non-commodity resource values, and
to develop, adapt and evaluate management approaches. Specific
focal areas of research include wildlife and fish habitats,
with strong emphasis on threatened, endangered and sensitive
(TES) species, water quality and quantity, atmospheric science,
and soils.
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Forest Management Sciences:
This area of R&D provides the scientific and technical
basis for wise natural resource policies and management decisions
to protect the health, diversity, and productivity of the
Nation's forest and rangeland resources--while meeting societal
needs for recreation, economic stability, forest products,
and protection from fire, insects, and diseases. Forest and
rangeland vegetative cover and condition determine the health
of riparian and aquatic systems, the habitat suitability for
T&E species, and the ability of our forests to provide
recreation opportunities, fiber, clean water, and other important
products. more
Quantitative Sciences:
This staff provides national leadership for inventory and monitoring
programs, prepares national reports on forest conditions and trends, and
coordinates international R&D activities. Inventory and monitoring
activities include the FIA program (more), and remote sensing research about forests.
Every five years, national reports are prepared describing current conditions
and recent trends in the health, diversity, and productivity of forests and
related socio-economic information about forests (more).
In addition, reports are prepared that look ahead 50 years and assess
future demands, supplies, and resource conditions for renewable natural resources,
including forests, rangelands, wildlife and fish, water, and outdoor recreation (more)..
International R&D activities include cooperation
with overseas partners on issues of global importance, such as forest
sustainability and climate change, and supporting the U.S. Department of State in
international environmental dialogs.
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